Bright Eye Rehmannia
Ming mu di huang wan
Kan Traditionals
Replenishes and nourishes Liver and Kidney Yin, mitigates Liver Yang rising, moves Blood and supports healthy vision.
- Herb: Prepared rehmannia root, Lycium fruit, Tribulus fruit, Bupleurum root, Abalone shell, Chinese yam rhizome, Asiatic cornelian cherry, Tree peony root bark, Poria, Asian water plantain rhizome, Chrysanthemum flower, Dong quai root
- Herb (Pinyin): Shu di huang, Gou qi zi, Bai ji li, Chai hu, Shi jue ming, Shan yao, Shan zhu yu, Mu dan pi, Fu ling, Ze xie, Ju hua, Dang gui shen
- Pattern: Liver and Kidney Yin deficiency, Liver Blood deficiency, Liver Yang rising, supports healthy vision
- Actions: Subdue Liver Yang, Nourish Kidney Yin, Nourish Liver and Kidney Yin, Brightens the eyes
- Indications: Supports healthy vision, Nourishes the Yin of the Kidneys and Liver to support healthy vision, Occasional light-headedness or dizziness, Occasional soreness in the lower back, Dry eyes
- Contraindications: Caution should be used if there is indigestion and diarrhea due to Spleen deficiency, Contraindicated during pregnancy.
- Tongue: Red with little coating, dry, possibly cracked.
- Pulse: Rapid, thin and wiry.
Bright Eye Rehmannia is based on Rehmannia Pill to Brighten the Eyes (Ming Mu Di Huang Wan), a variation of the foundational Kidney Yin formula Six-Ingredient Rehmannia Pill (Liu Wei Di Huang Wan). It nourishes Kidney and Liver Yin to support healthy vision, nourish the eyes and restrain ascending Liver Yang.
When Kidney and Liver Yin are deficient, the Essence (stored by the Kidney) and the Blood (stored by the Liver) are too scant to nourish the upper body, and the sensory orifices suffer, the eyes in particular. Bright Eye Rehmannia contains the complete Liu Wei Di Huang Wan base, which tonifies Kidney and Liver Yin, drains Fire and supports the Spleen. To that base it adds herbs that nourish Blood, brighten the eyes and settle the Liver.
The Base Formula: Three Tonifying, Three Draining
Liu Wei Di Huang Wan is built from three tonifying herbs, each balanced by a draining partner.
Prepared Rehmannia root (Shu Di Huang) nourishes the Blood at its deepest level, tonifies the Kidney and Liver and replenishes Essence (Jing). Asiatic cornelian cherry (Shan Zhu Yu) nourishes the Liver and retains Essence, protecting Yin and fluids. Chinese yam rhizome (Shan Yao) strengthens the Spleen and stabilizes and binds the Kidney. Together these three tonify Liver and Kidney Yin.
Each tonic is paired with a draining herb that keeps the formula from becoming cloying. Asian water plantain rhizome (Ze Xie) promotes healthy urination and leaches Dampness, keeping the rich Shu Di Huang from congesting and preventing Kidney Fire. Tree peony root bark (Mu Dan Pi) cools deficiency Heat, gently invigorates Blood without injuring Blood or Yin, and clears ascending Liver Fire, counterbalancing Shan Zhu Yu. Poria (Fu Ling) strengthens the Spleen, drains Dampness through urination, calms the Spirit and harmonizes the Middle Burner, complementing Shan Yao.
Herbs Added for the Eyes
Lycium fruit (Gou Qi Zi) and Chrysanthemum flower (Ju Hua) focus the formula on the eyes. Lycium nourishes the Liver and Kidney, benefits Essence, enriches Yin and brightens the eyes, supporting vision when Essence, Blood and Yin fail to nourish them. Chrysanthemum, cool and aromatic, disperses Wind Heat, clears and calms the Liver and brightens the eyes.
Dong quai root (Dang Gui) both nourishes and moves Blood. In this formula it supplements Liver Blood, keeps the tonics circulating and offsets some of the formula’s cooling herbs.
Bupleurum root (Chai Hu), rising and dispersing, spreads Liver Qi and relieves constraint, and it guides the formula upward to the head and eyes. Tribulus fruit (Bai Ji Li) calms the Liver, disperses Wind and brightens the eyes. Abalone shell (Shi Jue Ming) anchors ascending Liver Yang, clears Liver Heat and brightens the eyes.
Origins and Development
Ming Mu Di Huang Wan is recorded in Scrutiny of the Priceless Jade Case (Shen Shi Yao Han) by Fu Ren-Yu, 1644, as a formula to support healthy vision by tonifying Liver and Kidney Yin.